Elephant-friendly future possible: Thailand shifts from exploitative tourism to conservation

Elephants: fading into history or stepping into a brighter future? In Thailand, these enormous and intelligent creatures have woven themselves into the very fabric of the country’s heritage and traditional beliefs.

Over the centuries, they’ve become emblematic of Thailand thanks to their substantial contributions to warfare, transport, and heavy labour, all of which are largely credited to their immense strength and intelligence.

A historic shift in the elephants’ role occurred in 1989 as the government enforced a logging ban due to growing deforestation concerns. This decision led to elephants being redirected from forests to the tourism and entertainment industry, serving as entertainers for thousands.

According to the latest research in 2021 by the non-profit organisation, World Animal Protection (WAP), approximately…